Automotive News is a weekly newspaper written for the automotive industry, predominantly individuals corresponding with automobile manufacturers and automotive suppliers. Based in Detroit and owned by Crain Communications Inc, Automotive News is deemed to be the newspaper of record for the automotive industry. The brand has a team of more than 55 editors and reporters globally. The company has its headquarters at 1155, Gratiot Avenue in downtown Detroit. History George Slocum had felt for years that the auto industry needed a trade newspaper, and in 1925 he secured the financial backing to start one. Automotive News started as Automotive Daily News Slocum Publishing issued the first issue in New York on August 27, 1925, Slocum as its Detroit advertising manager. The chief backer of Automotive Daily News was Bernarr Macfadden. In 1933, Slocum purchased the other investors' interest, moved the paper to Detroit and switched from publishing fives times a week to twice a week - Wednesday and Saturday. He discarded the midweek edition in June 1938, and with the June 4 issue changed the paper's name to Automotive News. Slocum also brought down the subscription price from $6 to $4 per annum. In 1939, he changed the publication day to Monday. Circulation was 5,000 when Slocum moved the paper to Detroit. It grew to 12,000 at the commencement of World War II, but fell to 8,748 during the war. During 1942-45, when there was no auto industry, Automotive News retained 73 percent of its circulation. From 1936, Pete Wemhoff served as the Managing Editor, Editor, Publisher and General Manager for the next 35 years. Slocum Publishing Co, ran the publication until 1971, when Crain Communications purchased it. Keith Crain became the Publisher and Editorial Director. Today, Automotive News is a part of Crain Communications' Automotive News Group. Keith E. Crain is the Editor-in-Chief of Automotive News and Chairman of the Board of Crain Communications. Long tenured Publisher Jason Stein stepped down in 2021 and was replaced by KC Crain. Extensions There are a number of different versions of the publication aimed at specific countries and regions. Automotive News Europe was started in 1996 focusing on the European auto industry. Automotive News China launched in 2006 and is published in both simplified Chinese and English. Automobilwoche is a print publication focusing on the German automotive industry. It is distributed twice monthly on Monday and has a circulation of appx. 15,000.